Hormone Gel Helps Turner Syndrome

OCTOBER 01, 2004

A Finnish study of 23 girls with Turner syndrome found that an estradiol gel, a form of estrogen,
may help. Turner syndrome is caused when 1 of 2 X chromosomes that girls normally
have is missing. The chromosome disorder results in various physical characteristics and
incomplete ovaries.

For the study, the patients applied the gel once a day on the skin of the lower trunk or thighs.
Reporting in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (July 2004), the
researchers found that the estradiol gel brings on slow, progressive pubertal development
equal to natural puberty in such cases. Average blood levels of estradiol increased 8-fold during
the 4-year study.

"The development of secondary sexual characteristics and uterine growth proceeded gradually
during the study, mimicking natural puberty," investigators said. Researcher Saila Piippo
added, "The treatment can also be individualized with dose adjustments based on the signs
of pubertal development and uterine growth measured by sonography and (hormone) concentrations."